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2015.09.16 - Tucson's Not in Arizona Anymore
Tucson is standing by the side of the road, dressed in ratty jeans and a denim jacket, pack and duffel bag at his feet. He's leaned against a sign warning people not to pick up hitchhikers, hitchhiking. Jason Christopher makes his way into Forks in a rented car. With his current house guests he needed to pick up some groceries in town and La Push didn't have the variety he was looking for. Of course neither did Forks as it turned out. Which is why he instead drove up to Port Angeles, and is now making his way back. It isn't a particularly nice car either. Just a middle of the road, family sedan. Jason looks rather out of place in it, as if he is used to things of a much higher end. Growling under his breath about the loss of his new(ish) truck, he pulls up to a traffic light not far from where Tucson is standing. The window down, and even over the heavy moisture in the air Jason can smell something not fully natural. In fact, something supernatural. Tucson looks up as the car stops, interest kindles as he notes the man inside, then he straightens up and stands away from the sign as he sees more and deeper. He quirks a smile and waves at the man, curious but cautious at the same time. Hey, this could get him closer to San Fran. Jason Christopher glances at a man out of the corner of his eyes. He had seen him, but like most people he was content to ignore him unless he did something to make himself interesting. But then he was waving, and approaching, and even over the scent of the car air freshener and other vehicles exhausts he could smell that the scent he had caught was coming from the figure. Jason breathed deep and thought about the scent. It had been a very long time since he had smelled anything like it. . o 0 (Coyote...) This should certainly prove interesting enough. In his typical dealing with a unknown voice he said quietly out the window as the man made it to the car. "May I help you?" His far to yellow eyes marking him as decidedly unnatural. Tucson puts a hand on the car roof and leans down a bit, bright smile in place. "Hey, cousins, you going towards San Fran at all? Or just further on into town?" he says, dark eyes twinkling. Tucson puts a hand on the car roof and leans down a bit, bright smile in place. "Hey, cousins, you going towards San Fran at all? Or just further on into town?" he says, dark eyes twinkling. Jacob leans over toward Tucson, blinking a little, and says, "San Francisco? Wow. California's a long way off, man. Maybe you should get a ride to Seattle and take a train or something? That's a hell of a hitch hike." Jason Christopher cants his head some and decides that Tucson approached them in a amenable enough manner. "We are heading to the La Push Indian reservation, cousin. I'm afraid as my partner said, San Francisco is a long way away. But Forks is dangerous to our kind, and Seattle is worse. Do you have money for a bus or train?" Tucson shakes his head. "Nah, and I wouldn't take a train anyway - don't get to see as much, that way. Res is fine with me, though," he says, hefting up his bags and opening the back door. He slides his gear in, then takes a seat. "Name's Tucson," he says, leaning forward to put hands on each seat. Jacob looks a bit abashed as Jason says our kind. Okay, he hadn't picked up on that one. "Yeah, good point," he says sheepishly. "Anyway, uh... what's in San Francisco?" he asks, apparently seeming pretty oblivious as to what would possibly make someone want to travel there. Jason Christopher glances over at Jacob and shrugs. Perhaps it came across as an invitation. But again, this was a fellow shifter, and Jacob likely knew that meant Jason would offer him hospitality. It was the type of thing a prince did. But he didn't have the authority to offer it at the reservation. That would have to be Sam Uley's choice. "I have a place you can rest safely. Away from the more dangerous elements here." He says it as if to suggest they aren't precisely what he would call a danger. But then Aiden had been hurt coming here less than a week before. Forks had a bit of a transient vampire population, especially with the situation in Seattle growing worse. Looking at Jacob again he adds to him. "K9s. There is the room in the back." Then addressing Tucson again he makes a proper introduction. "Jason Christopher. It is a pleasure to meet you cousin. What brings you so far north?" He doesn't seem inclined to think of Tucson as a threat. Perhaps because of their 'connection'...Or maybe he is just that confident. Maybe both. Tucson's face lights up; he certainly doesn't look like a threat - more like a road-worn scruffy college dude. "Man, it's San Francisco," he says with the emphasis, like that explains everything. He quirks a lopsided smile at Jason. "Hitched a ride in a big rig, nestled down among the goods to take a nap and... that's pretty much that," he says. "Woke up about twenty miles south of here, when the dude stopped to gas up." He looks around. "Um, where is 'here', anyway. Like, what state? Are we in Idaho? I hope not. Idaho sucks." "Washington," Jacob answers. "And I'm Jake. Nice to meet you--what'd you say your name was?" Jason Christopher snorts out a small laugh and shakes his head. "No, certainly not Idaho. You are in Washington State." He nods to Jacob, echoing the sentiment. "Not that far from Seattle, the La Push reservation." Jason starts to drive again as they explain. Moving through the small town of Forks, and onto Highway 110 in short order. It is a lot of forest, and rain it seems. Sporadic small businesses, tourist traps, and bars dot the side of the road. The occasional homes or streets with modest dwellings on them. It is a very blue collar vibe, which humorously Jason does not give off. He keeps his thoughts about San Francisco to himself. One thing about living in major cities he never could stomach. ALL the damn vampires...and demons...and humans for that matter. He's never tell another wolf or a cousin how to live. They were meant to be free. But damned if he saw any such freedom in those reeking pits of 'humanity'. Such a joke. It was a place he might visit if circumstance required it, but he'd never live there. Tucson offers a hand to Jacob. "Tucson, like the city," he says. "Wow, Washington. Agh. It's all rain and wall-to-wall vampires." He looks concerned for a second, then not, his handsome features changeable as the weather. He whistles low, looking at Jason. "Now, Seattle might be cool. Lotta coffee." He perks up when they pass through town, then laughs. "Wow. Blink and you miss it." He cranes his neck as they pass into the woods. "Whew. Lotta green.." he mutters, then looks back to the two men. "What do you two do, if you have jobs or stuff like that," he says. Jason Christopher shrugs to the question. "I am opening a club in the area. I suppose that counts as something like a job, correct?" I mean he is a ludicrously wealthy prince. Really what he mostly does is kill things that peeve him off. But that never makes for a good opener on a resume or for casual conversation. So better to lead with the club. Leading with ludicrously wealthy prince can be good. But really only if you are trying to be a bit boorish or get laid. All part of a clever ruse to get behind enemy lines to kill someone of course. So really, right back to that killing thing again. Club it is. "In fact that is where I am taking you. There is a spare room with a single bed there. You are welcome to stay as long as you care to Tucson. I'd avoid Seattle though, they are having a major vampire outbreak there." It isn't to long before he pulls up to the very club either. Some people were working outside on hanging a neon sign of a wolf superimposed in front of a moon. Underneath it, list up was the name of the establishment, K9s. Not really that far off the mark. As Jason parks and steps out of the car a number of the workmen nod, or wave. There are more than a few greetings ending in 'boss'. "Come on inside, I'll show you the room Tucson." Jason looks at Jacob and says to him quietly. "You should likely tell the pack about Tucson. Another unknown scent in the area." Jacob frowns some but understands and jogs off into the woods to 'change'. Tucson looks at the sign as he gets out, stretching his slender body before he picks up his things. "Wow, dude, thanks," he says once the room is offered. He looks around, taking in faces and the way they treat Jason. "So I'm guessing you're a pretty big deal around here?" he says as he falls in beside the man. He simply nods when told about Seattle. Jason Christopher chuckles as they walk inside the club. "I only recently moved into the area actually. But I am a werewolf prince, in exile..." Maybe the name would sound familiar to a person that gets around. Armed with that additional information. Jason Christopher, of the house of Lupus. In a civil war with his father Johnathan Gregot Lupus. For reasons that are largely unknown. But the war has gone on for nearly 100 years now. Maybe rumors anyway at least. "I'm rather wealthy. And I want this place to be something special." Tucson whistles softly. "So, should you be putting in a few foxholes, too, just in case?" he says, hands in pockets, turning to look this way and that as he follows along. Jason Christopher glances at Tucson and smiles faintly. Alright so something of his reputation had proceeded him. "No. That part of my life, I am hoping will be over. Soon." He walks into the back offices, and one of them has been converted into a small bedroom, with the one next door altered into a private bathroom with a shower stall. All in all it is about the size of a small efficiency apartment. "It isn't much. But it is yours as long as you need it cousin. I know San Francisco is calling you. But you are under my hospitality so long as you wish it. We already have a cook on staff. I'll let him know to cook you whatever you care to eat. Or just help yourself to things in the kitchen." Tucson brightens as he sees the room - clean and nice, unlike most of the places he's stayed. And his own bathroom. "I'll, um, need to get some soap and shampoo from you," he says. "And I can pull my own weight. I've been a cook and a bartender elsewhere, lots of times," he says as he drops off his backpack and duffel bag, takes off his jacket to hang on the bedpost. "Whatever you need doing, I can do." Jason Christopher arches an eyebrow and considers Tucson. "I have a bartender coming in. Someone I have known for some time. But she will need time off as well. If you want to delay your trip, build up some money. I'll hire you on. We aren't open yet, so your job would be pretty easy for now." He gestures out to the car. "There are several bottles of shampoo and conditioner, as well as soap in the back of the car among the things I bought. Help yourself Tucson. I'll have some towels and other toiletries brought up." He reaches into a pocket and peels off three hundred dollars in twenties and fifties. "Consider it a advance on your first paycheck if you agree. So you can buy some things you need." He shrugs and tucks it into Tucson's jeans pocket with a casual manner. "Fuck, take it even if you don't. You aren't a wolf. But you are a cousin. Hospitality." He smiles a tight lipped smile and gestures towards the room. "Make yourself at home." Tucson stares at the wolf prince and blinks when the money is handed over. "Holy spit," he mutters as the hand rummages in his jeans, and he gives the handsome man a smile. "Two inches to the left and you have to marry me in this state, I think," he says, still blown away by the display of generosity. Jason Christopher coughs out a laugh and shakes his head. "Well, I only hit what I am at. So your virtue remains intact Tuscon." He chuckles inwardly at the situation. Brodie and Jacob have calmed him a lot over the last few days. Otherwise he would not have been so, forward? He shrugs the thought off. Right now, it just felt good to help others of his kind. Even if it was in the broader sense and they weren't wolves. "Shit, that's too bad," the young coyote says. "I bet you're awesome." He looks around the room again, and brings his hands together in a clap. "OK, boss, show me some boxes to move or bottles to fetch or whatever," he says. "I'm ready to start." Jason Christopher smiles and shakes his head some chuckling. It appeared that horny puppy syndrome was not limited to just wolves. Maybe someday Tucson would find out if he was in fact awesome. It wouldn't be the first time the werewolf prince had had sex with someone on a bar. Just the first time in a very LONG time. "First things first. Empty the things out of the car, into here. Then as long as you can drive, feel free to take the car and get whatever you need from the general shop at the reservation. We will get you a few more changes of clothes too. If you need anything washed I'll make sure that gets done for you as well." Tucson rubs his face. "Dude. Thank you, really," he says, just... kind of stunned. "Ah, then, OK.. I don't need much, really; pretty much everything I own is in those two bags there and I've always found it's best to travel light because you never know when you need to turn heel and leave everything behind. Done that more than a couple times." He looks back out to the larger bar. "I'll get started," he grins. Jason Christopher nods to Tucson and smiles that thin lipped smile again. "You are welcome cousin. No need to run either. You are under my protection here." The protection of the prince of werewolves. That has to count for something. It is a good gig if you can get it at least. "I have some things I still need to tend to for the day. Just put the groceries away in the refrigerator and freezers in the kitchen. If your not sure where something goes just ask." He nods to him and then makes for the back door. Tucson gives a salute, then walks off to the car. No need for a map - coyotes have an excellent sense of direction. Maybe.